US House Asks for Lakes Dredge Funds Increase
The U.S. House of Representatives has sent another clear signal that it is committed to ending the dredging crisis on the Great Lakes, introducing an amendment to the Energy & Water Appropriations bill that mandates that the Great Lakes Navigation System gets the 10 percent of increased funding for dredging that is promised in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 that was passed seven weeks ago. The amendment was co-authored by Congressmen Sean Duffy (R-Wisc.) and Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and introduced by Rep. Kelly.
U.S.-Flag Lakes Float Down 5.1 Percent in July
U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (“lakers”) carried 10.5 million tons of dry-bulk cargo in July, an increase of 6.6 percent compared to June, but a decrease of 5.1 percent compared to a year ago. The July float was, however, just marginally below the month’s 5-year average. Iron ore cargos for the steel industry in July totaled 4.3 million tons, a decrease of nearly 18 percent compared to a year ago. Coal cargos fell by almost 23 percent. Aggregate and fluxstone for construction and steelmaking rose more than 35 percent to 3,840,596 tons.
U.S.-Flag Lakers' September Cargo Up 7.6 PCT
U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (“lakers”) carried 10.1 million tons of dry-bulk cargo in September, a decrease of 2.7 percent compared to August, but an increase of 7.6 percent compared to a year ago. The September float was also virtually tied with the month’s 5-year average. Iron ore cargos for the steel industry increased 16.3 percent compared to a year ago. Limestone cargos for construction, steel production, and environmental uses rose almost 5 percent, but coal for power generation and steel production was largely unchanged from a year ago.
